The rock paintings of Helan Mountain — Helan Shan Yanhua — appear on the exposed cliff faces and boulders of the mountain range in dozens of sites, distributed across both the Ningxia and Inner Mongolia sides of the mountains. The northern site near Shizuishan is considerably less visited than the main Yinchuan site to the south, which makes it the better choice for those wanting the petroglyphs without the crowds.
The carvings span thousands of years of human activity, from Neolithic hunters to the medieval nomadic cultures of the steppe. Subjects include deer, ibex, horses, and tigers; hunting scenes; human figures and what appear to be shamanistic masks; and more abstract geometric forms. The carving technique is typically pecking or grinding directly into the dark desert varnish of the sandstone cliff faces, creating a light image against a darker ground.
Access requires your own vehicle or a hired car from Shizuishan. The track into the site can be rough. Admission is minimal and the site is rarely busy. Allow two hours for a thorough walk through the valley where the highest concentration of carvings occurs.